Pharmacology & Co-Occurring Disorders Flashcards

A client presents with methamphetamine use disorder and co-occurring psychosis. The counselor should understand that methamphetamine-induced psychosis:

Answer: Typically resolves with abstinence but may persist weeks to months in heavy users

Methamphetamine-induced psychosis commonly resolves with sustained abstinence, though heavy long-term users may experience prolonged or recurrent psychotic symptoms.

Which pharmacodynamic property makes fentanyl particularly dangerous compared to heroin in the context of overdose?

Answer: Fentanyl is approximately 50–100 times more potent, making therapeutic doses indistinguishable from lethal doses

Fentanyl's extreme potency means that even a tiny dose miscalculation can cause fatal respiratory depression, and street supplies are inconsistently dosed.

A CASAC counselor is working with a client whose antidepressant dose was recently increased while the client also uses heavy amounts of alcohol. The counselor's PRIORITY concern should be:

Answer: Alcohol's CNS depressant effects may be additive with sedating antidepressants, increasing accident risk

Alcohol's CNS depression combined with sedating antidepressants (e.g., tricyclics, mirtazapine) increases risk of psychomotor impairment, sedation, and accidental injury.

The term 'dual diagnosis' or 'co-occurring disorders' is most precisely defined as:

Answer: The co-existence of at least one substance use disorder and at least one mental health disorder

Dual diagnosis refers specifically to the co-occurrence of a substance use disorder alongside a diagnosable psychiatric/mental health disorder in the same individual.

Varenicline (Chantix) aids smoking cessation primarily by:

Answer: Acting as a partial agonist at alpha-4 beta-2 nicotinic receptors, reducing withdrawal and blocking nicotine's reinforcing effects

Varenicline's partial agonism at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors provides enough stimulation to reduce cravings while blocking nicotine from producing its full reinforcing effect.

A client with alcohol use disorder reports using gabapentin obtained from a friend. The counselor should recognize that gabapentin in SUD populations:

Answer: Has emerging evidence of misuse potential, particularly in those with opioid use disorder

Gabapentin has demonstrated misuse potential, especially among individuals with opioid use disorder who use it to potentiate opioid effects or self-medicate withdrawal.

The 'integrated treatment' model for co-occurring disorders means:

Answer: Providing substance use and mental health treatment simultaneously within a unified, coordinated approach

Integrated treatment addresses both substance use and mental health disorders concurrently by the same team or in coordinated collaboration, which produces better outcomes than sequential treatment.